JUST WATCHED

Watch violence erupt in Syria

MUST WATCH

JUST WATCHED

Syrian rebels fight through grief, pride

MUST WATCH

Syrian rebels fight through grief, pride02:45

By contrast Dr. Dan Plesch, director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, considers it too soon to write al-Assad out of the picture.

But in a scenario where he is pushed out -- bringing to an end four decades of rule by him and his father before him -- the Syrian military will likely play a major role in what happens next, Plesch said.

Recent defections of high-level officers -- notably regime insider Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlas -- on top of the desertion of many rank and file personnel, signal an erosion of the army's coherence in the face of the rebellion.

Many of those at the top are determined to fight on to the end because they fear the personal consequences for them if they lose, analysts say.

In what some saw as a turning point after more than 16 months of violence, al-Assad lost four top aides following an explosion in Damascus last week, as rebel forces attacked the capital and Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo.

So far, al-Assad has shown no signs of quitting. But what's not yet clear is how much stomach he has for a continued bloody conflict, and whether he might be more inclined to negotiate a transition than some of his immediate entourage, Plesch said.

If al-Assad's ouster were the result of a "palace coup," involving negotiation between some insiders and the insurgency, slightly more continuity would ensue, said Joshi. However, such a transition is likely to be unstable because many rebels would refuse to accept it and would fight on.

He believes it more likely that the regime collapses entirely and the Syrian National Council -- an opposition coalition whose leadership resides outside of Syria -- stakes a claim to lead the transition as part of a coalition also involving opposition figures within Syria and Kurdish and liberal representatives.

However, unlike Libya, where the National Transitional Council presented a fairly unified voice as Gadhafi's regime crumbled, the opposition in Syria remains more fragmented and no credible transitional leader has yet come to the fore, Joshi said.

Plesch agrees that while the Syrian National Council "aspires to be the linchpin in the transition," questions remain over how effective it could be and what support it commands among rebels on the ground.

Ausama Monajed, who advised a previous president of the Syrian National Council, told CNN in March that his group has a plan for a post-Assad era, including the formation of a transitional unity government and a body to draw up a new constitution and election laws, leading eventually to parliamentary and presidential elections.

At the time, observers responded with skepticism. "There's a lack of coordination amongst the insiders, and they represent the outsiders, not the insiders," said former U.S. ambassador to Syria Edward Djerejian. "It's not a coherent opposition leadership."

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – In this photo provided by the anti-government activist group Aleppo Media Center, Syrian men help survivors out of a building in Aleppo after it was bombed, allegedly by a Syrian regime warplane on Saturday, February 8. The United Nations estimates more than 100,000 people have been killed since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011. Click through to see the most compelling images taken during the conflict, which is now a civil war:

Hide Caption

1 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians gather at a site hit by barrel bombs, allegedly dropped by a regime helicopter on the opposition-controlled Mesekin Hananu district of Aleppo on February 8.

Hide Caption

2 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Civilians wave national flags as they take part in a rally in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, in a handout photo released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency on February 8.

Hide Caption

3 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man stands next to debris in the road following a reported airstrike by Syrian government forces in the northern city of Aleppo on February 8.

Hide Caption

4 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Medical personnel look for survivors after a reported airstrike in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, February 1.

Hide Caption

5 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians carry a dead body following an airstrike on February 1.

Hide Caption

6 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man walks amid debris and dust on January 31.

Hide Caption

7 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – An injured man is covered in dust after an airstrike on January 29.

Hide Caption

8 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man tries to fix electrical wires in a neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria, on January 27.

Hide Caption

9 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels and civilians check out a crater that activists say resulted from a Syrian government airstrike on an Aleppo bus station on Tuesday, January 21.

Hide Caption

10 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Men rush to a site that Syrian government forces reportedly hit in Aleppo on January 21.

Hide Caption

11 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Buildings lie in ruins in Aleppo on Sunday, January 19, after reported air raids by Syrian government planes.

Hide Caption

12 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian child collects items from a garbage pile on Saturday, January 18, in Douma, northeast of the capital.

Hide Caption

13 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A piece of exploded mortar lies in a street in Daraya, a city southwest of Damascus, on Friday, January 17.

Hide Caption

14 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Residents search for survivors in Aleppo on Saturday, December 28, 2013, after what activists said were airstrikes by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Hide Caption

15 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man appears distraught after an air raid in Aleppo on Monday, December 23.

Hide Caption

16 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters sit in a damaged house in Old Aleppo on Saturday, December 21.

Hide Caption

17 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People search for survivors amid the rubble after an airstrike in Aleppo on Tuesday, December 17.

Hide Caption

18 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man sits on the ground after the airstrike in Aleppo on December 17.

Hide Caption

19 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A woman carries children following airstrikes on a rebel area of Aleppo on Sunday, December 15.

Hide Caption

20 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians look at the aftermath of an airstrike on a rebel area of Aleppo on December 15.

Hide Caption

21 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians help a wounded woman following airstrikes in Aleppo on December 15.

Hide Caption

22 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians look at the aftermath of an airstrike on a rebel area of Aleppo on December 15.

Hide Caption

23 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebel fighters clash with pro-government forces in Aleppo on Wednesday, December 11.

Hide Caption

24 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A woman weeps inside a damaged vehicle after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad captured the town of Nabak on Monday, December 9.

Hide Caption

25 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter takes position during fighting with government forces in Deir Ezzor on Monday, December 2.

Hide Caption

26 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Shiite fighters from a group called the Hussein Brigade search for rebels from the Free Syrian Army in Hejeira on Thursday, November 21.

Hide Caption

27 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army rebels battle government forces in Aleppo on Monday, November 18.

Hide Caption

28 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter holds his position in a damaged building during clashes with government forces in Deir Ezzor on Monday, November 11.

Hide Caption

29 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter fires during clashes with government forces in Deir Ezzor on November 11.

Hide Caption

30 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter prepares an improvised mortar shell in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, November 9.

Hide Caption

31 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Two injured men are transported on a cart in Aleppo, Syria, following shelling as fighting between pro-government forces and rebels continues on Saturday, October 26.

Hide Caption

32 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters hold a position in Deir Ezzor, Syria, on Thursday, October 24.

Hide Caption

33 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter stands in the doorway of a building as he smokes a cigarette in Deir Ezzor, Syria, on Tuesday, October 22.

Hide Caption

34 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People use buckets as they try to extinguish a fire that ignited at a fuel station in Aleppo, Syria, on Sunday, October 20.

Hide Caption

35 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter aims a catapult toward regime forces in Aleppo, Syria, on Thursday, October 17.

Hide Caption

36 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Firefighters extinguish a burning vehicle after two mortar rounds struck the Abu Roumaneh area in Damascus, Syria, on Saturday, October 12.

Hide Caption

37 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter aims as others run for cover while they hold a position behind burning tires in the Salaheddin district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Wednesday, October 9.

Hide Caption

38 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter smokes a cigarette as he takes a break following the injury of his friend in the Salaheddin neighborhood of Aleppo on October 9.

Hide Caption

39 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises after a mortar shell hit a residential area during fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels in Maaret al-Numan, Syria, on October, 9.

Hide Caption

40 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters cover a car in mud for camouflage at an undisclosed location in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday, October 8.

Hide Caption

41 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Masked female rebel fighters walk alongside their trainer on a street in the Salaheddin district of Aleppo, Syria, on October 8.

Hide Caption

42 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter prays moments before heading into battle in Maaret al-Numan, Syria, on Monday, October 7.

Hide Caption

43 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A mother comforts her baby in an area where she and her family have taken shelter after fleeing their village turned battlefield in Syria's Idlib province on Sunday, September 22.

Hide Caption

44 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man checks an AK-47 at his gun shop in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, September 21.

Hide Caption

45 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters take cover moments after firing a rocket toward government forces in the Idlib province of northern Syria on Friday, September 20.

Hide Caption

46 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters inspect a stairwell amid fighting against Syrian government forces on Thursday, September 19, in the Saif al-Dawla district of Aleppo, Syria.

Hide Caption

47 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian child sits in a village in the Idlib province countryside on September 19.

Hide Caption

48 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Opposition fighters react after returning from the battlefield in the Idlib province countryside on September 19.

Hide Caption

49 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises after a bomb was thrown from a helicopter, hitting a rebel position during heavy fighting between troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters in the Idlib province on September 19.

Hide Caption

50 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters duck behind a barricade from firing in Aleppo on Wednesday, September 18.

Hide Caption

51 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – AFP reporter Sammy Ketz hits the ground as a Syrian soldier runs past during sniper fire in Maalula on September 18. Ketz and a photographer were reporting on the ancient Christian Syrian town northeast of Damascus.

Hide Caption

52 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter takes a break on a mountain near a rebel camp in Idlib province on September 18.

Hide Caption

53 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter rests inside a cave at a rebel camp in Idlib province on Tuesday, September 17.

Hide Caption

54 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Volunteers wear protective gear to show a class how to respond to a chemical attack in Aleppo, Syria, on September 15. For two months, Mohammad Zayed, an Aleppo University student, has been training a group of 26 civilians to respond to a chemical attack.

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian soldiers take aim at rebel fighters positioned in the mountains of the Christian town of Maalula on September 13.

Hide Caption

57 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels parade at a former military academy north of Aleppo during a September 13 ceremony to mark an agreement to unite two rebel brigade forces.

Hide Caption

58 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A fighter of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command squats next to the covered body of an alleged foreign rebel fighter in the Yarmouk refugee camp in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Thursday, September 12.

Hide Caption

59 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – An opposition fighter runs in front of a sniper curtain in the industrial area of Deir Ezzor, Syria, during clashes with regime forces on September 12.

Hide Caption

60 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A sheet hangs across an alley way to shield fighters from sniper fire as a fighter of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command walks past destroyed buildings in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus, Syria, on September 12.

Hide Caption

61 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter stands guard inside a damaged house in Aleppo's Qastal al-Harami neighborhood on September 11.

Hide Caption

62 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters climb a flight of stairs to take positions near the Hanano barracks on September 11.

Hide Caption

63 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian government tank is seen during clashes with Free Syrian Army fighters in Maaloula, Syria, on September 11.

Hide Caption

64 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A funeral is held on September 11 for three Christian Syrians killed during battles with an al Qaeda-linked rebel group that took control of the historic Christian town of Maaloula from regime forces during the weekend.

Hide Caption

65 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man walks through a destroyed residential area of Saraqib, Syria, on Monday, September 9, following repeated airstrikes by government forces.

Hide Caption

66 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A soldier wears a picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his chest while at a market in old Damascus on September 8.

Hide Caption

67 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter prays in a trench in the Damascus suburbs on September 8.

Hide Caption

68 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter takes up a shooting position in Aleppo on September 8.

Hide Caption

69 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover in Raqqa province on September 8.

Hide Caption

70 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Buildings are heavily damaged in the Salah al-Din area of Aleppo on September 8.

Hide Caption

71 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A boy named Issa, 10, carries a mortar shell in a weapons factory of the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo on Saturday, September 7. The boy works with his father in the factory.

Hide Caption

72 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Issa fixes a mortar launcher in the Aleppo weapons factory on September 7.

Hide Caption

73 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A bedroom lies in ruins after clashes between government forces and rebels around Ariha on September 7.

Hide Caption

74 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian forces are seen in the Syrian Christian town of Maaloula on September 7.

Hide Caption

75 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian soldier prepares large-caliber bullets for a machine gun in Maaloula on September 7.

Hide Caption

76 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man stands inside a home damaged by heavy shelling in Arbeen, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, on September 7.

Hide Caption

77 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Men gather on the remains of a destroyed building after reported airstrikes by Syrian government forces in the rebel-held northwestern Syrian province of Idlib on Thursday, September 5.

Hide Caption

78 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter takes cover as he watches forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad near Hanano barracks in Aleppo on September 3.

Hide Caption

79 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters walk inside a damaged house in Aleppo on September 3.

Hide Caption

80 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters talk inside a burnt house in Aleppo on September 3.

Hide Caption

81 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter peeks through the curtains of a bedroom in Deir ez-Zor, Syria, on Monday, September 2.

Hide Caption

82 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters take their positions behind piled sandbags, as one of them points his weapon, in Deir ez-Zor on September 2.

Hide Caption

83 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter points his weapon at Syrian regime forces in Deir ez-Zor on September 2.

Hide Caption

84 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian firefighters try to extinguish a fire after a missile hit a residential building in Damascus, Syria, on September 2.

Hide Caption

85 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A U.N. arms expert collects samples during an inspection of a suspected chemical weapons strike site in the Ghouta area outside Damascus on August 29.

Hide Caption

86 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People search for belongings in rubble in Raqqa, Syria, on August 29.

Hide Caption

87 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters launch a rocket toward forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Deir Ezzor on August 29.

Hide Caption

88 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian Kurd uses hay to hide another woman in a training session organized by the Kurdish Women's Defense Units on Wednesday, August 28, in a northern Syrian border village. They're preparing if the area comes under attack.

Hide Caption

89 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters escort U.N. vehicles with chemical weapons experts on August 28 through a site of a suspected chemical weapons attack outside Damascus.

Hide Caption

90 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter takes position behind sandbags in the old city of Aleppo, Syria, on Tuesday, August 27.

Hide Caption

91 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A U.N. team leaves its Damascus, Syria, hotel in a convoy on Monday, August 26. The team was to investigate an alleged chemical attack that killed hundreds last week in a suburb of the Syrian capital. Sniper fire hit a vehicle used by the U.N. chemical weapons investigation team multiple times Monday, according to the United Nations.

Hide Caption

92 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian soldier walks down a street in Damascus on Saturday, August 24.

Hide Caption

93 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Pigeons lie dead on the ground on August 24 from after what activists say is the use of chemical weapons by government forces in the Damascus suburb of Arbeen.

Hide Caption

94 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Columns of smoke rise in Barzeh after heavy shelling on Friday, August 23.

Hide Caption

95 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A young Free Syrian Army fighter is reflected in a mirror as he takes position in a house in Aleppo on Thursday, August 22.

Hide Caption

96 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels move around a building in Aleppo on August 22.

Hide Caption

97 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels claim pro-government forces used chemical weapons to kill citizens outside Damascus on Wednesday, August 21. People inspect bodies in this photo released by the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network.

Hide Caption

98 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People search the rubble of a bombed building in Aleppo, Syria, on Friday, August 16.

Hide Caption

99 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Men bury the bodies of six members of the same family killed in a bombing in Raqqa on Saturday, August 10.

Hide Caption

100 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian Army soldiers patrol a devastated street in Homs on Wednesday, July 31.

Hide Caption

101 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters move through a hole in a wall in Khan al-Assal on Monday, July 22, after seizing the town.

Hide Caption

102 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter walks past swings in a deserted playground in Deir al-Zor, Syria, on Sunday, July 21.

Hide Caption

103 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter speaks with a fellow fighter through a hole in a wall in Deir al-Zor on July 21.

Hide Caption

104 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter casts a shadow on a wall as he carries his weapon in a shelter in Deir al-Zor on Thursday, July 18.

Hide Caption

105 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Yahya Sweed, 13, is comforted by his father as he lies on a bed in Kfar Nubul on Tuesday, July 16. The boy was injured by shrapnel, resulting in the amputation of his right leg.

Hide Caption

106 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter naps in a trench about 300 feet from the Syrian government forces' positions along the highway connecting Idlib with Latakia on Monday, July 15.

Hide Caption

107 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter uses a hole in the wall of a destroyed school to aim at Syrian government forces in the Izaa district of Aleppo on Sunday, July 14.

Hide Caption

108 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter uses a mirror to scope out snipers loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Friday, July 12.

Hide Caption

109 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter stands over a boy who was injured during shelling in Al-Bara on Monday, July 8.

Hide Caption

110 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army fire a homemade rocket toward regime forces in Deir al-Zor on Sunday, June 16.

Hide Caption

111 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels leave their position in the northwestern town of Maaret al-Numan on Thursday, June 13. The White House said that the Syrian government has crossed a "red line" with its use of chemical weapons and announced it would start arming the rebels.

Hide Caption

112 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are seen near Qusayr on Thursday, May 30.

Hide Caption

113 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels take position in a house during clashes with regime forces in the old city of Aleppo on May 22.

Hide Caption

114 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian army soldiers take control of the village of Western Dumayna north of the rebel-held city of Qusayr on Monday, May 13. Syrian troops captured three villages in Homs province, allowing them to cut supply lines to rebels inside Qusayr town, a military officer told AFP.

Hide Caption

115 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebel fighters fire at government forces in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday, May 12.

Hide Caption

116 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Searchers use a flashlight as they look for survivors among the rubble created by what activists say was a missile attack from the Syrian regime, in Raqqa province, Syria, on April 25.

Hide Caption

117 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Kurdish fighter from the "Popular Protection Units" (YPG) takes position inside a building in the majority-Kurdish Sheikh Maqsood area of Aleppo, on Apri. 21.

Hide Caption

118 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People walk past destroyed houses in the northern Syrian town of Azaz on Sunday, April 21.

Hide Caption

119 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters take positions prior to an offensive against government forces in the Khan al-Assal area, near Aleppo on Saturday, April 20.

Hide Caption

120 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Men inspect damage at a house destroyed in an airstrike in Aleppo on April 15.

Hide Caption

121 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian and Kurdish rebel fighters walk in the Sheikh Maqsud district of Aleppo on April 14.

Hide Caption

122 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A female rebel monitors the movement of Syrian government forces in Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood on Thursday, April 11.

Hide Caption

123 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel runs to avoid sniper fire from Syrian government forces in Aleppo on April 11.

Hide Caption

124 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels observe the movement of Syrian government forces around Al-Kendi hospital in Aleppo on Wednesday, April 10.

Hide Caption

125 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rescue teams and security forces check out the scene of a deadly car bomb explosion in Damascus on April 8.

Hide Caption

126 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – The fighting has taken a toll on buildings in Aleppo's Saladin district, seen here on April 8.

Hide Caption

127 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel runs for cover in Deir ez-Zor on April 2.

Hide Caption

128 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel checks for snipers across the street toward the Citadel in Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday, March 30, in this photo taken by iReporter Lee Harper.

Hide Caption

129 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian fighter mourns the death of a friend in Aleppo on March 30, in this photo taken by iReporter Lee Harper.

Hide Caption

130 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter runs for cover from Syrian army snipers in Aleppo on Wednesday, March 27.

Hide Caption

131 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian girl covers her face to protect herself from fumes as a street covered with uncollected garbage is fumigated in Aleppo on Sunday, March 24.

Hide Caption

132 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man and his family drive past damaged buildings in Maarat al-Numan, on Wednesday, March 20.

Hide Caption

133 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians carry the body of a Syrian army soldier during a funeral ceremony in Idlib province on Tuesday, March 19.

Hide Caption

134 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels take position in Aleppo, the largest city in the country, on March 11.

Hide Caption

135 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian men search for their relatives amongst the bodies of civilians executed and dumped in the Quweiq River on March 11.

Hide Caption

136 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter looks back as smoke rises during fighting between rebel fighters and forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on the outskirts of Aleppo on Saturday, March 2.

Hide Caption

137 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Residents read Shaam News newspapers published by the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo on March 2.

Hide Caption

138 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A member of the Free Syrian Army reacts to the death of a comrade who was killed in fighting, at Bustan al Qasr cemetery in Aleppo on Friday, March 1.

Hide Caption

139 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter throws a home-made grenade at Syrian government forces in Aleppo on February 16.

Hide Caption

140 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A member of the Free Syrian Army stands with his weapon as he looks at a rainbow in Aleppo on February 16.

Hide Caption

141 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian woman looks through a bus window in Aleppo on February 14.

Hide Caption

142 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters walk through a dust-filled stairwell in Damascus on February 7.

Hide Caption

143 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel gestures at comrades from inside a broken armored personnel carrier in Al-Yaqubia on February 6.

Hide Caption

144 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter throws a hand grenade inside a Syrian Army base in Damascus on February 3.

Hide Caption

145 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People stand in the dust of a building destroyed in an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria on February 3.

Hide Caption

146 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters run as they enter a Syrian Army base during heavy fighting in the Arabeen neighborhood of Damascus on February 3.

Hide Caption

147 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – An unexploded mortar shell fired by the Syrian Army sits lodged in the ground in Damascus on January 25.

Hide Caption

148 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Fighters from Fateh al Sham unit of the Free Syrian Army fire on Syrian Army soldiers at a check point in Damascus on January 20.

Hide Caption

149 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter walks between buildings damaged during Syrian Air Force strikes in Damascus on January 19.

Hide Caption

150 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel fighter tries to locate a government jet fighter in Aleppo on January 18.

Hide Caption

151 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels launch a missile near the Abu Baker brigade in Albab on January 16.

Hide Caption

152 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian boy walks near rubbish next to tents at a refugee camp near the northern city of Azaz on the Syria-Turkey border, on January 8.

Hide Caption

153 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians look for survivors amid the rubble of a building targeted by a missile in Aleppo on January 7.

Hide Caption

154 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A father reacts after hearing of a shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on January 3.

Hide Caption

155 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A patient smokes a cigarette at Dar Al-Ajaza psychiatric hospital in Aleppo on December 18, 2012. The psychiatric ward, housing around 60 patients, has lacked the means to function properly since fighting broke out there in July.

Hide Caption

156 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians mourn a fallen rebel fighter at a rebel base in the al-Fardos area of Aleppo on December 8, 2012.

Hide Caption

157 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Members of Liwa (Brigade) Salahadin, a Kurdish military unit fighting alongside rebel fighters, monitor the area in the besieged district of Karmel al-Jabl in Aleppo on December 6, 2012.

Hide Caption

158 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A member of Liwa Salahadin aims at a regime fighter in the besieged district of Karmel al-Jabl in Aleppo on December 6, 2012.

Hide Caption

159 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Two young boys sit underneath a washline in a refugee camp on the border between Syria and Turkey near Azaz on December 5, 2012.

Hide Caption

160 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Hide Caption

161 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – The bodies of three children, who were allegedly killed in a mortar shell attack that landed close to a bakery in Aleppo, on December 2, 2012, are laid out for identification by family members at a makeshift hospital at an undisclosed location of the city.

Hide Caption

162 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises in the Hanano and Bustan al-Basha districts in Aleppo on December 1, 2012 as fighting continues through the night.

Hide Caption

163 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Damaged houses in Aleppo are seen after an airstrike on November 29, 2012.

Hide Caption

164 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel mourns the death of a comrade in Maraat al-Numan on November 20, 2012.

Hide Caption

165 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians protesters stand on Assad's portrait during an anti-regime demonstration in Aleppo on November 16, 2012.

Hide Caption

166 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel takes cover during fighting against Syrian government forces in Aleppo on November 15, 2012.

Hide Caption

167 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian opposition fighter Bazel Araj, 19, sleeps next to his pistol in Aleppo on November 11, 2012.

Hide Caption

168 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter fires at a Syrian government position in Aleppo on November 6, 2012.

Hide Caption

169 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel leaps over debris left in the street while running across a "sniper alley" near the Salahudeen district in Aleppo on November 4, 2012.

Hide Caption

170 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels hold their position in the midst of a battle on November 3, 2012 in Aleppo.

Hide Caption

171 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man cries while being treated in a local hospital in a rebel-controlled area of Aleppo on October 31, 2012.

Hide Caption

172 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man is treated for wounds after a government jet attacked the Karm al-Aser neighborhood in eastern Aleppo on October 31, 2012.

Hide Caption

173 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel interrogates a handcuffed and blindfolded man suspected of being a pro-regime militiaman in Aleppo on October 26, 2012.

Hide Caption

174 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises from a fuel station following a mortar attack as Syrian women walk on a rainy day in the Arqub neighborhood of Aleppo on October 25, 2012.

Hide Caption

175 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel fires at an army position in the Karm al-Jabal district of Aleppo on October 22, 2012.

Hide Caption

176 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A wounded Syrian boy sits on the back of a truck carrying victims and wounded people to a hospital following an attack by regime forces in Aleppo on October 21, 2012.

Hide Caption

177 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man lies on the ground after being shot by a sniper for a second time as he waits to be rescued by members of the Al-Baraa Bin Malek Battalion, part of the Free Syria Army's Al-Fatah brigade, in Aleppo on October 20, 2012.

Hide Caption

178 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian army soldiers run for cover during clashes with rebel fighters at Karam al-Jabal neighborhood of Aleppo on October 20, 2012.

Hide Caption

179 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Smoke rises after a Syrian Air Force fighter jet fired missiles at the suburbs of the northern province of Idlib on October 16, 2012.

Hide Caption

180 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian opposition fighter stands near a post in Aleppo on October 11, 2012.

Hide Caption

181 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man mourns the death of his father, who was killed during a government attack in Aleppo on October 10, 2012.

Hide Caption

182 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel fighter is carried by his friends and laid on a gurney to be treated for gunshot wounds sustained during heavy battles with government forces in Aleppo on October 1, 2012.

Hide Caption

183 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels help a wounded comrade to an Aleppo hospital after he was injured in a Syrian army strike on September 18, 2012.

Hide Caption

184 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syria Army fighters are reflected in a mirror they use to see a Syrian Army post only 50 meters away in Aleppo on September 16, 2012.

Hide Caption

185 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man carrying grocery bags tries to dodge sniper fire as he runs through an alley near a checkpoint manned by the Free Syria Army in Aleppo on September 14, 2012.

Hide Caption

186 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A woman walks past a destroyed building in Aleppo on September 13, 2012.

Hide Caption

187 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Free Syrian Army fighters battle during street fighting against Syrian army soldiers in Aleppo on September 8, 2012.

Hide Caption

188 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man wounded by shelling sits on a chair outside a closed shop in Aleppo on September 4, 2012.

Hide Caption

189 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A woman sits in her wheelchair next to her house, damaged by a Syrian air raid, near Homs on August 26, 2012.

Hide Caption

190 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army clash with Syrian army soliders in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on August 22, 2012.

Hide Caption

191 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Hide Caption

192 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man mourns in front of a field hospital on August 21, 2012 in Aleppo.

Hide Caption

193 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Hide Caption

194 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Wounded civilians wait in a field hospital after an air strike on August 21, 2012 in Aleppo.

Hide Caption

195 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – People pray during the funeral of a Free Syrian Army fighter, Amar Ali Amero, on August 21, 2012.

Hide Caption

196 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man cries near the graves of his two children killed during a recent Syrian airstrike in Azaz on August 20, 2012.

Hide Caption

197 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Hide Caption

198 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian woman holds her dead baby as she screams upon seeing her husband's body being covered following an airstrike by regime forces on the town of Azaz on August 15, 2012.

Hide Caption

199 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian rebel runs in a street of Selehattin during an attack on the municipal building on July 23, 2012.

Hide Caption

200 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels hunt for snipers after attacking the municipality building in the city center of Selehattin on July 23, 2012.

Hide Caption

201 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army's Mugaweer (commandos) Brigade pay their respects in a cemetery on May 12, 2012 in Qusayr.

Hide Caption

202 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian rebels take position near Qusayr on May 10, 2012.

Hide Caption

203 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army member takes cover in underground caves in Sarmin on April 9, 2012.

Hide Caption

204 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Rebels prepare to engage government tanks that advanced into Saraquib on April 9, 2012.

Hide Caption

205 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Men say prayers during a ceremony in Binnish on April 9, 2012.

Hide Caption

206 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A young boy plays with a toy gun in Binnish on April 9, 2012.

Hide Caption

207 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army rebel mounts his horse in the Al-Shatouria village near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria on March 16, 2012, a year after the uprising began.

Hide Caption

208 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian refugees walk across a field before crossing into Turkey on March 14, 2012.

Hide Caption

209 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A rebel takes position in Al-Qsair on January 27, 2012.

Hide Caption

210 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A protester in Homs throws a tear gas bomb back towards security forces, on December 27, 2011.

Hide Caption

211 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A man stands under a giant Syrian flag outside the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on December 24, 2011.

Hide Caption

212 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A member of the Free Syrian Army looks out over a valley in the village of Ain al-Baida on December 15, 2011.

Hide Caption

213 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Members of the Free Syrian Army stand in an valley near the village of Ain al-Baida, close to the Turkish border, on December 15, 2011.

Hide Caption

214 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Displaced Syrian refugees walk through an orchard adjacent to Syria's northern border with Turkey on June 14, 2011, near Khirbet al-Jouz.

Hide Caption

215 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian man holds up a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad during a rally to show support for the president in Damascus on April 30, 2011.

Hide Caption

216 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians rally to show their support for President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on April 30, 2011.

Syrian civil war in photos – A screen grab from YouTube shows Syrian anti-government protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by security forces in Damascus on April 29, 2011, during the "Day of Rage" demonstrations called by activists to put pressure on al-Assad.

Hide Caption

219 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – A woman sits by the hospital bed of a man allegedly injured when an armed group seized rooftops in Latakia on March 27, 2011, and opened fire at passers-by, citizens and security forces personnel according to official sources.

Hide Caption

220 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrians wave their national flag and hold portraits of al-Assad during a rally to show their support for their leader in Damascus on March 29, 2011.

Hide Caption

221 of 222

Photos:Unrest in Syria

Syrian civil war in photos – Syrian protesters chant slogans in support of al-Assad during a rally in Damascus on March 25, 2011.

Another scenario sees Syria descend into a chaotic and bloody sectarian conflict, pitting Syria's majority Sunni Muslims against the ruling Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, and embroiling its Christian, Druze and other minority groups too. Such a conflict risks destabilizing the wider region.

The recent defection of two key Sunni figures, Tlas and Syria's ambassador to Iraq, Nawaf Fares, means all al-Assad has left is a narrow Alawite bloc with shrinking public support, Joshi said.

If the regime collapses, the Alawites could retreat to strongholds in the northwest of the country around Latakia and attempt to reconstitute a state there, he said. Syria's Kurds could also seek greater autonomy, a move which would worry Turkey, which has a troubled relationship with its own Kurdish population.

However, Rime Allaf, an associate fellow at the Chatham House think tank, argues against making too much of Syria's sectarian tensions.

The regime "has been using the sectarian line, but the opposition and the rebels have increasingly repeated that they do not view it in those terms," she said. "So it's not the Alawites who are crumbling, it's a regime. ... It means many people within that regime, whatever religious denomination they are, they don't necessarily agree with the way things are happening."

Sectarianism aside, the large number of militia groups that have taken up arms across Syria will present a "significant challenge" to the country's future stability whoever ends up in power, Joshi said.

They range from the pro-government Shabiha militia groups, blamed by opposition activists for many of the more brutal attacks on civilians, to rebel hardline Islamist groups and local networks that have formed to protect their villages.

At the same time, the rebel Free Syrian Army, largely composed of soldiers who defected from the al-Assad regime, is more a loose organization of armed groups than a coherent military body, said Joshi.

He predicts that whatever Syrian government results from the conflict will not be in charge of its whole territory, a problem made worse by the porous nature of the country's borders. If the Syrian National Council ultimately does take charge, it may struggle to contain the worst excesses of the militia groups, he said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said this month that it considers the conflict a "non-international armed conflict" -- or a civil war -- but some analysts say international forces are in fact involved.

Opposition forces are being "quite well-armed and probably trained by external clandestine forces from the Gulf states and probably from Turkey," Plesch said. Questions should also be asked about some European and North American involvement, he added.

At the same time, Syria's neighbors, which include Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon, all have a stake in how the conflict plays out and exert varying degrees of influence within Syria.

Part of the international community's unease stems from Syria's position as a regional powerhouse. "Syria really is the epicenter of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the international community's confrontation with Iran," said Plesch.

Another concern to those watching from the wings is Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons.

Syria's foreign ministry said Monday that the country has chemical weapons that it would be willing to use against foreign attackers, although it sought to roll back the message Tuesday.

Its remarks led to strong warnings from U.S. officials, including President Barack Obama, who said such a move would be a "tragic mistake."

Obama administration officials are now holding regular high-level meetings to discuss the ongoing situation in Syria and begin thinking about U.S. priorities in a post-Assad era, a senior U.S. official told CNN Monday. The Obama administration has also stepped up its discussions with Israel, Jordan and Turkey about Syria's chemical weapons arsenal

The al-Assad regime "probably has the largest and most advanced chemical warfare program in the Arab world," according to Michael Eisenstadt, senior fellow and director of the military and security studies program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

But there is good reason to be skeptical that this arsenal would ever be used, Joshi said. Syrian commanders would not want to be held individually responsible with no regime to protect them, he said. Commanders are also well aware that the risk of such weapons getting into the hands of allies such as Hezbollah would likely induce external intervention, particularly from Israel.

For some observers, the international community's increasing focus on Syria's weapons stockpile also conjures unwelcome echoes of the run-up to the Iraq war.

Syrian allies China and Russia, who last week blocked another United Nations Security Council resolution for new sanctions if Syrian government forces don't stop attacks against civilians, are opposed to the kind of foreign intervention seen in Iraq as well as in Libya last year.

Moscow indicated Tuesday that Damascus should refrain from making use of chemical weapons in line with its ratification of Geneva protocols. "Russia's policy is based on the understanding that Syrian authorities will continue to strictly follow their international obligations," the foreign ministry said.

As for al-Assad, if he is forced from power, his personal fate will likely depend on whether he remains in Syria, and in whose hands.

A new regime might want to prosecute him for alleged war crimes or it might decide it would be more advantageous to allow him to go into exile, said Plesch.

Al-Assad's options for exile appear limited, with much of the world outraged by the thousands of civilian deaths resulting from his regime's crackdown on what it calls "armed terrorists." Plesch speculates that a country that is "not quite Russia," such as Moldova or South Ossetia, could offer a haven.

Alternatively, al-Assad could hang on to power for months yet, if regime forces and the Free Syrian Army continue to battle without a decisive victory on either side and the international community declines to step in.

So long as Russia and China continue to block tougher U.N. Security Council action on Syria, foreign intervention seems unlikely.

And although U.S. officicals have led calls for an end to the conflict, Plesch suggests that a prolonged conflict in Syria might not be the "worst option" from an Israeli or American militarist point of view, because neutralizing Syria would have the effect of isolating Hezbollah, and to a degree Hamas, from Iran, an ally of Damascus.

"If you are a Western security planner who thinks it's highly likely that there has to be a military confrontation with Iran sooner or later, then keeping Syria off the board is probably one of the things that's quite desirable to do," he said.